Date of Award

5-2012

Document Type

Independent Study

Degree Name

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Abstract

Approximately 7 million of the nation's adults aged 65 years and older are affected by depression, which leaves them with persistent feeling of sadness, anxiety, emptiness hopelessness and pessimism. The purpose of this independent study is to provide a review of the literature of late life depression (LLD) in the context of chronic medical disorders and stressful life events, detection tools and methods of interventions. Evidence indicates that comorbid depression is often misdiagnosed and undertreated or not diagnosed at all in older adults. The tendency for older adults to have chronic medical disorders, experiencing stressful 10 life events are high and are predisposed to biological, physical, psychological, environment, and psychosocial factors. Articles investigating chronic medical disorders and stressful live events and treatment modalities that incorporate preventions strategies were included. All advanced practice nurses (APNs) who see older adults have the responsibility to routinely assess their patients for the presence of depression. The goal is to identify high risk groups especially those with prior history of depression in earlier adulthood, experiencing chronic medical illnesses and stressful life events that predispose them to LLD, with the aim to implement management strategies that include preventing, treating and monitoring for relapse and maintain remission

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